The word "antichrist" appears in just three passages in the Bible (in the New
Testament letters known as 1 John and 2 John); it does not appear at all in the
Book of Revelation. Nevertheless, the idea of an Antichrist is central to the
apocalyptic world view that sees human history as a struggle between God and
Satan for the fate of mankind.

According to most Christian prophesies of the End Time, the Antichrist will act
as Satan's chief agent on earth during this period. The Antichrist -- a sort
of evil twin of Jesus in many ways -- will forge a one-world government through
promises of peace. But when Jesus returns, he will expose the Antichrist as an
impostor, defeat him in the battle of Armageddon, and reign with the Christian
martyrs for a thousand years on earth.

Robert Fuller, in his book Naming the Antichrist, notes that modern
apocalypticists believe the Book of Revelation "contains much information
about the Antichrist--who will emerge as a 'beast from the sea' to be Satan's
ally in a last, desperate assault on Christ and his church." This "parody and
mirror opposite of Christ" will be identifiable in a number of ways:

· Promising peace to those who follow him, he will rise to a position of great
power.

· With the help of his own false prophet, the Antichrist will gain control of
the world economy, by forcing each person "to be marked on the right hand or
the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is,
the name of the beast or the number of its name . . . six hundred and
sixty-six"

· One of the heads of the beast also "seemed to have a mortal wound, but its
mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth followed the beast with
wonder."

For nearly 2000 years, believers have spent considerable energy trying to
identify potential Antichrists in their midst using scripture, particularly
Revelation, as their guide.

Using the Antichrist characteristics described above, test your knowledge. In
the following list, who have been labeled as an arch-deceiver and false messiah
of the Last Days?